Welcome to the Chiaki Household
by xXkana-chanXx
Summary: In distant future, perhaps not so far from now. Chiaki is dealing tolerably well, swimming through his everyday life even as the number of residents in Weirdo Forest increases. Welcome to the Chiaki Household!
1. Part 1

Ok… I had this crazy idea and went on a writing spree, haha… this is mostly light bantering and a series of silliness… and I dunno if I'll continue or not… but please review ;-) ya.. I haven't abandoned Pathetique either, no worries…

Disclaimer: Nodame Cantabile and the characters within belongs to Ninomiya sensei, not me.

**Chapter 1**

The bright morning light shone through the curtain and Chiaki Shinichi couldn't sleep anymore. _Ah, is it already morning?_ he thought. Yesterday, when he retired to the room for the night, he found himself otherwise occupied and did not sleep until the small hours of the dawn. Groaning a little, he turned to lie on his side and opened his eyes to slits. There beside him laid the very reason he did not get enough sleep. And she was sleeping so soundly, undisturbed by neither his movements nor noise! Little monster! Maybe he wore her off last night… Shinichi grinned broadly and reached out his hand to brush off the strands of hair from her sleeping face.

"Oi, wake up. It's already–," he checked the alarm clock on the bedside table. "ten to eight."

"Ah, Shinichi-kun… Is breakfast ready yet?" she murmured in her sleep.

"Haa…?"

His eyebrow twitched. He probably knew and understood her best in this world, but she never failed to irritate him with new things everyday.

"I'll get up if you give me a kiss, darling!"

"It's the opposite, right?!" shouting, Shinichi threw himself on top of her. "Can't you just get up before me and wake _me_ up for once, like any normal wife would do?!"

"Gyabo, senpai, senpai, I can't breathe. Nodame'll die, senpai!"

"Then die, you stupid wife!"

"Geh, senpai, I beg you!" Nodame waved her arms about.

"Are you a bit sorry?"

"_Hai_,_ hai_," she said. "I'm sorry so let me breathe, senpai!"

Shinichi propped himself up on his elbows and looked down at his wife.

"Why am I still senpai?" he asked. "We've been married for six years already."

"Ah, _ma_… I've called you that for even longer than six years! It doesn't matter whichever way, does it? Why now, after all those years…" said Nodame sleepily.

Doesn't matter... Shinichi's eyebrow twitched again and he fell upon her hard, again.

"What's up with that careless attitude? Don't you care what your husband thinks?"

"Mukya, senpai!" Nodame shouted as her nose was crushed on the pillow. "Alright, alright! Then what should I call you, hubby? Or honey? Or sweetie?"

Shinichi immediately blushed and whispered in her ears shyly.

"Say _a.na.ta._ …"

"Ok,_ anata_…" Nodame smiled.

"Good girl… now for that morning kiss then… as reward…"

Their eyes locked and he lowered his head slowly. After all those years of marriage and the relationship even before that, he never tired of playing along with her. Once he let go of his sanity (i.e. pride?) and declared that he was madly in love with her, everything seemed to be so right. If some unknown outsiders looked at them with strange eyes, it mattered not in the world because he was happy in his marriage and life. Ever since he'd met Nodame, only good things have happened to him. His lips were a mere inch away from hers, when there was a loud WHAM on their door.

"Papa, stop fooling around and wake Mama up! She has a lesson this morning!"

It was the voice of their five year-old son. With a shock, both of them fell right back down to the earth.

"Damn, he _kicked_ the door! Can't you teach your son some manners?!" Shinichi cried.

"Oho, you try teaching him something, _anata_! He's your son too!" she retorted while fumbling to put her clothes on.

"Man, I wonder where he gets his weirdness from…" he said darkly under his breath.

"He is not weird!" exclaimed the doting mother.

Murmuring things that he considered best not be heard by her, he put on his dressing gown and followed Nodame out of the room.

"_Ohayo_, Sou-chan!" she cried. "Did you sleep well last night?"

Dressed impeccably in a white button-down shirt and khaki trousers, the little Chiaki Souichiro was already sitting down at the kitchen table, leisurely drinking his milk while reading the newspaper.

"You are late, Mama. The lesson starts in half an hour," he replied curtly.

"Oi, you!" his father called out. "When you see your parents in the morning, you say '_ohayo gozaimasu_' first!"

"Ah, _ohayo gozaimasu_," Souichiro replied without taking his eyes off the newspaper.

Shinichi's eyebrow twitched violently and a vein popped out on his forehead. Dear God, did you really think Nodame was not enough in my life? What he had done to be _blessed_ with these two abnormal people, he had no idea.

"I definitely didn't sire him…" he muttered darkly.

"Ow, you cute little thing!" Nodame hugged that little head of his and rubbed on Souichiro's cheek.

"How is he _cute_?" complained Shinichi.

"Your rehearsal starts soon too, Papa. Get ready," his son added formally.

"What about you, young man? Don't you have school today? It's already half past eight!"

His son finally took his eyes off the newspaper and looked up at him in exasperation.

"You should know it's summer holiday, Papa. If you want to be respected as a parent, then please act like one!"

Shinichi's brows puckered dangerously in scowl.

"Nodame," he said in a shaky voice. "Open the window."

"…senpai? Why?" she asked cautiously.

"Because I'm going to throw this changeling out of the house and look for my real son!" he shouted.

"Ah, _ma_, _ma_, calm down, senpai!" Nodame tried to pacify her husband by petting on his back. "And Sou-chan, too. Don't tease your father like that."

Sou-chan only snorted and went back to reading the newspaper.

"Anyways, what are you doing with the newspaper?" Shinichi asked sarcastically. "There are not many pictures in there, you know."

"I'm reading it. What else should I do with it?"

"_Haa_? You? Read? But you are only five years old!"

"Just because you couldn't read when you were five doesn't mean nobody can, Papa. Didn't you know?" Souichiro added proudly. "I am a genius."

Shinichi was bereft of words. When Nodame became pregnant, to be honest, he was a bit worried that their child might turn out to be a weird_ hentai_ like her but this was surely beyond any apprehension! Their son seemed to resemble neither of them and still managed to be so weird! And Nodame cosseted him to death, more to his annoyance.

"Awu, our Sou-chan is so clever! Just like his dad!"

"He is not!"

"I am not!"

The father and son shouted in chorus and glared at each other. Then the bell rang and broke the ice. Nodame became flustered all at once.

"Oh, no, not good. Corinne-chan is here already! Need to get downstairs, now."

She turned to her son and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Mama has to go for the lesson now, Sou-chan, but mama will be back soon, ok? I love you, sweetie."

"I love you too, Mama."

Souichiro smirked at his father. He wasn't to be outdone by his own son! Still glaring at him sideways, Shinichi caught Nodame's waist as she scurried past him and kissed her fully on the lips.

"I'm going out soon too, so I'll see you in the afternoon."

"Hai,_ anata_," she giggled and added. "Of course, I love you too, senpai."

"Go and teach that student of yours well, silly wife," he said, pushing her back. Then he went back to glaring down at his son.

"Papa, I want breakfast," he said innocently.

"Oh, so the great genius Shouichiro-sama cannot cook yet?" asked Shinichi.

"It's dangerous for a kid of my age to cook. Imagine the hazards with knives and fire."

"I know that, you little rascal," he growled.

"I already filtered some coffee for you though, please drink it."

Shinichi was instantly suspicious at this act of charity but Souichiro only blinked his eyes innocently.

"So, what's in the news today?"

"Oh,_ Father_! You didn't really think I could read all that?"

"Haa?! But you just said–!"

"Well, it's true that I can read most of it but I can't read everything_ yet_. I was just practicing with the newspaper."

"Souichiro, I think I will really throw you out of the window after all," said Shinichi menacingly.

"Papa, will you take me to the rehearsal?" his son who had the instinct of a cat, safely jumped from one subject to another.

"No," he replied curtly.

"Please? I promise I'll sit quietly in one corner."

"No," he repeated himself but Shinichi could feel his annoyance melting away.

"Pretty please? _Daddy_?"

"You shameless scrub," he found himself ruffling his son's well-brushed head. "Fine, but you mustn't disturb the rehearsal, alright?"

"Of course not, Papa. Please, don't do that. I already brushed my hair."

"You are not cute at all," his father decided but he was totally ignored.

"I'm hungry."

He resembles Nodame much more when he's like that, thought Shinichi and was immediately comforted. He's not like me at all!

**Chapter 2**

"Can I sit in the passenger seat?" Souichiro asked.

"No," Shinichi wondered why his son was so persistent in things he knew the answer to. Like someone… his mother, to be precise!

"Please, _Daddy_?"

"Not working this time, my boy. It really is a 'No'!"

"Ché, meanie."

"Shall I just leave you behind altogether?" he threatened.

"I only wanted to sit next to you, Papa…" grumbling to himself, Souichiro climbed to the back seat of their car. Once he made sure that Souichiro was strapped safely with the belt, Shinichi slammed the door close and got in the driver's seat himself.

When they got off the car at the destination, Souichiro unconsciously grabbed his father's fingers with his small hands. He might be a five year-old genius, who could read most of the newspaper, but he is, after all, only five years old and to be in an unfamiliar place where his father, one of the greatest conductors of the era, rehearsed with his orchestra, simply overawed him. Shinichi smiled fondly, this morning's squabble completely forgotten, and took a firm hold of his hand. He heard the female members of the orchestra squealing as they entered the auditorium.

"Kya! That's little Souichiro! He's so cute! Have you come to watch_ onee_-chan _tachi_ practice?"

Soon they cluttered around them and Souichiro half hid behind his father's leg.

"Souichiro, what do you say to them?" his father gently prompted.

"Good morning," he said obediently. This little rascal only made fun of him in front of his mother, thought Shinichi as he ground his teeth. He now acted all sweet and innocent!

"Alright, then," he said aloud. "You go and sit on that chair and don't make any noise, ok?"

"Hai!"

"Aw, he's so sweet, he looks just like his dad," one of the flutists declared and Shinichi and Souichiro both ripped up at her.

"He does not!"

"I do not!!"

More than ten years well into his career as a conductor, Chiaki Shinichi now lived in New York with his family and was the resident conductor of New York Philharmonic Orchestra. There were the usual ups and downs in his life, but generally, he was very satisfied with how everything turned out. But he couldn't deny that New York was very different from Paris and he missed the European atmosphere so much. He thought he might return to Paris or Vienna when his contract with the New York Phil was over. In any case, he was enjoying himself tremendously for his orchestra was excellent and they'd already produced many beautiful music of high standard together. At the moment, they were rehearsing for the upcoming scheduled concert.

"Hold! Second vio–," Shinichi started but was immediately interrupted.

"Second violins, slurring at the wrong place! One of you are out of tune also," said his son.

"I know that," Shinichi replied darkly. "Didn't I say to not disturb?"

"I wasn't disturbing, Papa," was the innocent answer. "I was only helping."

"Fine, but don't _help_ again, ok?"

"Hai," Souichiro answered obediently. Eyeing his son suspiciously Shinichi turned back to his orchestra. Only then did he realise that everyone was quite surprised and was whispering among themselves.

"Settle down," their conductor ordered. "Ignoring what that young man said, second violins, you guys _are_ slurring at the wrong place. And tune your violin properly, Rob."

"But that's what I said…" Souichiro's complaint was soon buried by the whole orchestra striking up the cords. But before long, Shinichi stopped them again.

"Wrong! French horns coming in half a beat too early!" this time Souichiro was even quicker.

His father sighed and said loudly: "Can someone find masking tape and gag him?"

"But he is right, isn't he?"

"And he's only five!"

"He really must be a genius!"

"After all, he's a child of that Chiaki and the great pianist, Chiaki Megumi."

"People, please," Shinichi tried to calm everyone then walked to where his son was sitting, with innocent sparkling eyes.

"Stop looking at me like that, Sou. Either you keep quiet or you go home, understood?"

He snatched away the score from his son's hands.

"Hai," Souichiro answered easily.

"No, I_ mean_ it. Are we clear?" he said sternly.

"Yes, father…"

"Good boy," he said and ruffled Souichiro's hair. Partly because he knew he didn't like it, but also because he was secretly very proud of him. When he'd learned to read an orchestra score, only Souichiro himself knew, but he was frighteningly accurate. Shinichi wondered if he was equally irritating to Viera sensei a long time ago. He often stole glances in his son's direction during the rest of the rehearsal, worried he might get bored and fidget, but Souichiro showed an amazing concentration for a five year-old kid and did not move from his seat.

Finally they stopped for a lunch break, but people turned to the young genius rather than food.

"Souichiro-kun, do you like music?"

"Yes, I'm always listening to music at home," whether I like it or not actually, he thought to himself.

"Do you play any instruments?"

"Mama has taught me piano a little…"

"Oh! Then why don't you play something for us?!"

"Er, people. Lunch. Go!"

Shinichi interrupted and the crowd dispersed with disappointed look. He turned to Souichiro.

"Are you tired yet? Do you want to go home?"

"Don't treat me like a kid, Papa. I'm still good," he replied.

"You are a kid!"

"My intellect says differently."

Shinichi rolled his eyes and grabbed his hand.

"Ok, don't get yourself too high, Sou, it'll hurt even more when you fall down."

"No! I'm not going home!" said Souichiro vehemently, pulling his hand out of reach.

"Ya, that's fine! I just want to get us some lunch, that's all," his father said, mildly surprised.

"Oh… ok. Can I have MacDonald then?"

"No!" Shinichi refused in disgust.

"Ché, you are very boring today, Papa."

"I am sorry for being worried about my son's health!"

Souichiro only pouted at his father's indignant cry. There! That's Nodame herself in him! Conveniently pushing the responsibility of his son's abnormally to his wife, Shinichi took him to a nearby diner.

"You look different at work, Papa," Souichiro said while he stuffed his mouth with pasta. He had an appetite to match his mother.

"Hmm? How so?" Chiaki took a napkin and wiped Sou's mouth.

"You don't look so silly like you do at home. You almost look serious."

"Silly? Who's silly?!"

"You always look silly when you are around Mama. Always cuddling her and teasing her. You are not very manly."

Chiaki could only gape at Sou as his face turned red from embarrassment, annoyance and amusement.

"Not. Very. Manly…" he choked on each word.

"But I changed my opinion of you today, Papa. You are great."

"I guess I should be grateful for the compliment…"

"_Iya_,_ iya_, don't mention it," Souichiro said aloofly and was immediately attacked by the napkin his father threw.

"Wipe your mouth, you little scrub!"

"King of domestic violence," he muttered darkly, in a way Chiaki always did.

"Oh, keep quiet and eat!"

He had half a mind to shove Sou into the car and drive him back home; his son was pushing too many buttons today. But Chiaki remembered how he protested when he thought he was being taken home. He must really enjoy watching the rehearsal. As a great lover of music himself, Chiaki was not about to take away his son's pleasure. Regarding the little form who was eagerly finishing off his lunch, he wondered if Souichiro would one day become a great musician like his parents.


	2. part 2

**Chapter 3**

Even as he neared the house, Chiaki could already see Nodame standing outside their luxurious condo. It was the very same condo that his mother had gotten from Chiaki Masayuki as a divorce settlement. His mother had made a gift of it when he first became the resident conductor of New York Phil. It was a two-storey house with a large garden where the first floor served as their main resident, and the ground floor had rooms for Nodame's piano practice or lessons, or for entertaining guests.

Chiaki drove in carefully and parked his car. Nodame came running towards them.

"Ah, I was just about to go and fetch Sou-chan home!" she said. "How was he, senpai? Was he behaving himself?"

"No," Chiaki replied severely. "We had to gag and tie him with the rope to stop him from interrupting the rehearsal."

"Gyabo! Why is that?" she cried and swept Souichiro up in her arms. "_Senpai no Kazuo_! How could you do that to Nodame's cute little Sou-chan?!"

"Oi. Your cute little Sou-chan was not behaving. As his father, I reserve the right to do whatever I want with him."

"Gyabo, senpai! You can't take Sou-chan and sell him away to the slavery!" Nodame hugged her son tightly.

"Haa, what are you talking about?"

"She's probably heard something about that shipwreck near East African Sea that was in the newspaper this morning. The ship was said to board hundreds of little children stolen from their parents from remote villages of Africa, to be sold off to some place. Such deplorable acts should be thoroughly investigated and punished!"

Chiaki gaped at his son as Souichiro narrated all this so eloquently. So he _was_ reading the newspaper this morning! But seriously, how intelligent would he have to be to say things like that at five?! He turned to his mother and said: "Don't worry, Mama. Papa's just being silly and teasing you, again. They didn't gag me."

"That's a relief!" said Nodame and handed him over to Chiaki for Sou-chan was growing fast and getting heavier every day! Chiaki eyed him gingerly saying I'm-not-in-the-mood-to-carry-you, but Souichiro opened his arms wide with a look that said Carry-me-Papa!

"You horrible little person!"

When Chiaki took him, Souichiro wrapped his arms around his neck immediately. Spoilt brat! Chiaki thought but unconsciously positioned his arms more comfortably for Sou.

"Ah, senpai! We have a guest today! Sou-chan, you'll be so surprised!"

"Guest? Who is it?" Shinichi asked.

"Come quickly and see for yourself!" Nodame sounded very pleased.

Wondering who could be visiting them, Chiaki entered the house in anticipation. He was certainly not disappointed when he saw the elegant figure of a woman in their living room, studying the pictures on the wall.

"Yuiko!" he exclaimed.

"Aunt Yuiko!" Souichiro also jumped down from his father and ran up to her.

"Hello, there!"

Yuiko, who was the daughter of Chiaki's uncle on his mother's side, had grown into a beautiful woman in her mid twenties. She was one of the most sought after It-girl back in Japan, which put her at a semi-celebrity level, and had scores of suitors throwing themselves at her feet. But claiming that none of them was anywhere close to her idol Shin-nii, she'd rejected all of them and was now travelling around the world, mostly squandering her father's money. She was a favourite with Sou.

"Aunt Yuiko! It's been a while! How have you been?" Sou chattered on.

"You sound like a grown-up, Sou-chan!" Yuiko laughed. "And you are so big already!"

"Yes, I'm already five," Sou declared proudly.

"Aren't you a little gentleman! You look just like Shin-nii when he was your age!"

"You weren't even born when I was five!" he was tired of denying Sou's resemblance to himself. What was wrong with the people today?

"But just look at him, he's so handsome, like you!"

"Isn't he just?" added the devoted mother with teary eyes.

"No, I'm going to be handsomer than Papa when I grow up," said Sou.

The girls burst out laughing and Chiaki put his hand up to his temple with a sigh. But soon he threw sideway glances at his son, wondering if he really did resemble him that much. For sure, Souichiro had inherited his straight nose and regular features. Ah, the shape of his eyes and forehead is similar too. Maybe ears too… and mouth! Oh, he did really look like him a lot! Chiaki was momentarily taken back as he looked at the result of the amazing power of Mother Nature who had combined his and Nodame's genes together and produce something so special: his son. His own blood and flesh! In his rare demonstration of love Chiaki picked up Souichiro and tucked him under one arm.

"Alright, son," he said. "Play some piano for your old man."

"Why?" Sou scowled.

"Because Papa wants to hear it."

"But I wanna play with Aunt Yuiko!"

"You can play with her after."

"But I wanna play with her _now_!"

"Play the piano _first_!"

"You are very annoying today, Papa."

"_You_ are very disobedient today, son," said Chiaki and shook Sou a little. "Come now, don't you want to show off to Aunt Yuiko? Impress her. Humour me."

"Oh, alright," Sou replied in a resigned voice.

Chiaki carried him to the piano room and the girls followed him giggling. When he set Sou down, he bowed proudly to the audience and climbed up to the piano stool. Shinichi adjusted the height of the stool for him then Souichiro started playing a Mozart Piano Sonata.

His hands were still quite small and his fingers stumbled here and there but for a five year-old, it wasn't a bad performance at all! And playing Mozart at five!

When the song came to an end, Nodame was screaming gyabos and planting kisses on Sou's cheek, and Yuiko was clapping hard. Souichiro looked up expectantly at his father and saw him smiling broadly.

"Not bad," he said and tousled Souichiro's hair.

"_Papa_!" cried Sou irritably. "I said don't do that to my hair!"

"Souichiro, do you want to learn the violin as well?" Chiaki asked good-naturedly.

"Violin?" Sou was immediately interested.

"Papa will teach you, if you want to learn."

"_Yes_! I do!"

His son's enthusiasm pleased Chiaki very much. So he petted his head again. As Souichiro flattened his hair in disgust, Yuiko said: "I think this calls for some celebration, don't you think? I'm taking Sou-chan out for dinner!"

Chiaki was about to protest that he's had enough treats for one day but changed his mind.

"Yes, take him out," he said. "And enjoy your date with Sou _as long as you can_, Yuiko."

"Oho! I see! Sure!" she winked at him slyly.

"Why? What do you see, Aunt Yuiko?" asked Sou-chan.

"It's alright, Sou-chan. Aunty still loves you very much, you don't need your dad."

"Huh?"

Chiaki rolled his eyes and wondered where Yuiko had gone wrong from that cute adorable little cousin she was all those years ago.

**Chapter 4**

Finally, he was left alone with Nodame to enjoy a comfortable coze together. They were sitting side by side on the couch and Chiaki had one arm around her waist. With his other hand, he was playing with Nodame's long calloused fingers.

"Will you play something for the old man, Madam?" suddenly he asked.

"Why, of course, sir! Do you have any special request?" Nodame asked laughingly.

"How 'bout Liebestraum by Liszt?"

"With pleasure!"

They moved to where they kept Nodame's favourite white C. Bechstein. It was their second grand piano, in addition to one upright Petrof but Nodame had fallen in love with it at the first sound and Chiaki didn't want to deny her this little thing (although the expense wasn't little at all!). Beside, all the pleasure of listening to her playing was on his part so there was no complaint! She took an exaggerated bow in imitation of their son and sat down at the piano. As she hit the first E flat, Chiaki closed his eyes and gave himself up to the music.

Precise control of the fingers so that the arpeggio doesn't sound too loud and bury the main melody; the speed and force to play the climax to satisfaction; big hands to cover the octaves; strong emotions to express the final part and captivate the souls of an audience: she had it all. A perfect Love Dream if there ever was one!

"Bravo…" Chiaki whispered at the end and went to sit next to his wife on the stool. "Am I flattering myself if I say that I felt your love for me in it, just now?"

"What are you being so modest for, all of sudden?" retorted Nodame, bubbling with laughter. "Of course, your love is the pillar of all my performance!"

"Hmm… you sound a bit sarcastic."

"No, senpai!" she laughed. "I'm not joking. If it wasn't for your love, well my love for you to be exact, the great renowned pianist Nodame won't be here. I wonder, I really might have become a kindergarten teacher… muki, who knows…"

"Ya, who, I wonder…"

The unkempt and hentai girl who claimed that she was in love with him all those years ago was budding with raw talents that needed proper cuttings for her to shine. And she strived so hard to shine; there had been no space for regret, rest or even a proper date with him! But she worked and worked, so that she could stand next to him in the same world, so that she could be with him, for her love for him.

Her goal to perform onstage with him had been realised a long time ago already, on their first wedding anniversary day in Vienna. As she had given birth to Souichiro only two months ago, he was a bit worried but she had exceeded all expectations and their Rachmaninoff #3 together was written off as a legend to be talked of for a long time to come.

And his love was the making of this little wonder! He should be honoured and proud of himself, but what he felt at the moment was only a pure love for his wife who had hung unto him so stubbornly and taught him much more than any maestro could have taught him: to love. He pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her. Nodame eagerly wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him even closer. They stayed like that for a long time.

"Oh, by the way," he said when they've disengaged. "Our little Souichiro had caused quite a stir in rehearsal today."

"Hugya, what has he done?!"

Chiaki proceeded to tell everything in detail.

"Gyabo, I see! My cute Sou-chan! He must take after you, senpai!"

"Erm, I wasn't so weird like him when I was small."

"He is not weird! How can you call your own son weird?"

"What's wrong with it, I call my own wife weird too," he laughed.

"Booo! Kazuo," she pouted in answer.

He chuckled. "But he must've been influenced by us, I think. He shows such interest and talents for music even now, it's so exciting to watch him! It makes me happy to think that I'll have a hand in the making of another great musician!"

"A _great_ musician?" Nodame looked at him enquiringly.

"For sure! He couldn't be anything less with a father like me and a mother like you!"

"Hmm…"

"Why, you don't want him to be a musician?"

"It's not that. Senpai, you know how I hate to be forced into doing things I don't like. I just don't want to pressure my son into things he doesn't want."

"Of course we won't _pressure_ him!" Shinichi exclaimed. "But you saw his enthusiasm too, right? I wonder if he'll like piano or violin more."

"Hmm… I wonder…"

"What?"

"It's just a 'mother's instinct', senpai."

"Eh, you? Instinct?" Chiaki gave rude barks of laughter.

"Ah, Kazuo again!"

"Why don't we play something together?"

"Together?"

"Yes," Chiaki was in thought for a while. "Do you remember Norwegian Dance No. 2?"

"Ah, are you talking about that piece by Grieg?"

"Ya, the one where it is lively and cute one moment, and turns angry and stormy the next: just like you, unpredictable."

"_Ah, mou! Senpai no baka!_"

Chuckling to himself, Chiaki gave her shoulder a squeeze with one arm and kissed her forehead before tinkering away on the piano.

**Epilogue**

However, everyone was thrown off guard when Souichiro decided to drop the bomb on them.

"Not in the least, I don't want to be a musician at all," he said calmly.

"Haa?! But it can't be!" Shinichi was aghast.

"Why not?"

"But you were so into watching the rehearsal, I made sure that you were keen to become a musician one day!"

"Papa…" Souichiro shook his head and tutted his tongue. "You are so dense sometimes."

"_Nani_!?"

"I was…" he avoided looking at his father and turned shy all of sudden. "I was only interested because you were there, Papa."

"Huh?"

"I always play with Mama but because you are so busy nowadays, I hardly get to spend time with you… I… missed you."

_Heeeeeeeeek_! Why was his son acting so cute?! Chiaki Shinichi nearly choked on the lump that threatened to suffocate him in this throat.

"Awu, Sou-chan," Nodame interpolated. "Then you should have told Mama about it as well! Poor Sou-chan…"

Chiaki studied his son for a long while. He didn't agree with Nodame that Sou-chan was a poor thing but he finally decided he was cute, after all.

"Baka, you really should have told me or your mama then…" he petted his head.

"Don't do that!" Sou immediately ripped up at him. Chiaki chuckled.

"But seriously, you really, really don't want to be a musician? No pianist, violinist? Or a Conductor like Papa?"

"Not really…" Souichiro frowned and asked his father. "But will you still teach me violin? I promise I'll be good. I wanna learn!"

"Of course I'll teach you," Chiaki replied pleasantly then he became curious about one thing. "Well. If you thought about your future and decided that you don't want to be a musician, then what are you interested in?"

"Oh," his son responded dismissively. "I'm going to be a great physicist one day."

To say that Chiaki and Nodame were shocked would have been an understatement of the century. Where did he get such weird ideas from when he's already surrounded by something totally different (i.e. music!) and already possess the prodigious talent?

"I've read about the Quantum Mechanics from a book recently and it was so interesting."

"Ha? Come again?"

"Oh, Papa, _don't_ you know? It's the study of the relationship between energy levels and matter with respect to valence shell electrons and photons."

"Senpai, what language is Sou-chan speaking in? Nodame doesn't understand a single thing he's saying!"

"How would I know?!"

Little Sou-chan sighed and reprimanded his parents.

"I know you guys are so very absorbed in your music and all that but please read some books sometimes."

"Ok, I take back my decision from just a moment ago," said Chiaki. "You are not cute at all!"

"Since you don't know, I'll tell you. Quantum Mechanics is a ground breaking theory that helped to account for fundamental behaviours of an electron that classical physics failed to explain. I find the wave-particle duality phenomenon most interesting but I still couldn't solve the Schroedinger's equation yet…"

"Ok, stop!" Chiaki shouted and regarded his son in wonder. Who is this little child?

"But Sou-chan, did you really understand what you were reading?"

"Mama," he said in exasperation. "I've already told you. I am a genius. Didn't you know, Mozart was also a genius in maths as well as in music and Einstein was a professional level violinist. I am just like them."

"You are weird!" was Chiaki's final diagnosis.

* * *

Ok... haha, that was such a random ending! sorry -giggle- 


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